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Marek Lemsalu

{{short description|Estonian footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Marek Lemsalu

| image =Marek Lemsalu 2008.JPG

| caption = Lemsalu with Levadia in 2008

| image_size =

| fullname = Marek Lemsalu

| height = {{height|m=1.91}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|11|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Pärnu, Estonia

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Centre-back

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1988–1989 | clubs1 = Pärnu KEK | caps1 = 29 | goals1 = 2

| years2 = 1989 | clubs2 = Eesti Tööstus/Flora | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1989–1990 | clubs3 = Sport Tallinn | caps3 = 26 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1990–1991 | clubs4 = Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK | caps4 = 39 | goals4 = 4

| years5 = 1992–1999 | clubs5 = Flora | caps5 = 119 | goals5 = 17

| years6 = 1996–1997 | clubs6 = → Mainz 05 (loan) | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1998 | clubs7 = → Kuressaare (loan) | caps7 = 1 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 1999 | clubs8 = Strømsgodset | caps8 = 8 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2000 | clubs9 = Tulevik| caps9 = 20 | goals9 = 6

| years10 = 2001 | clubs10 = Start | caps10 = 29 | goals10 = 2

| years11 = 2002–2005 | clubs11 = Bryne | caps11 = 110 | goals11 = 10

| years12 = 2006–2008 | clubs12 = Levadia | caps12 = 91 | goals12 = 15

| totalcaps = 489 | totalgoals = 56

| nationalyears1 = 1992–2007 | nationalteam1 = Estonia | nationalcaps1 = 86 | nationalgoals1 = 3

}}

Marek Lemsalu (born 24 November 1972) is an Estonian former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back for Pärnu KEK, Sport Tallinn, Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK, Flora, Mainz 05, Kuressaare, Strømsgodset, Tulevik, Start, Bryne and Levadia.

Lemsalu made his debut for the Estonia national team in 1992. He was captain in 1995 and 1996, and made a total of 86 appearances for the team before retiring in 2007.

Lemsalu was named Estonian Footballer of the Year in 1996 and Meistriliiga Player of the Year in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.esbl.ee/biograafia/Marek_Lemsalu|title=Lemsalu, Marek|publisher=ESBL|language=Estonian}}

Club career

=Early career=

Lemsalu started playing football in 1988 for his hometown club Pärnu KEK, before moving to Soviet Second League club Sport Tallinn in 1989. In 1990, he returned to Pärnu where he played for Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK.

=Flora=

In 1992, Lemsalu signed for Flora of the newly formed Meistriliiga. With Flora, he won four Meistriliiga titles, in 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, and 1998. In December 1997 he had a trial at English club Barnsley who were then in the Premier League,{{cite news

|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/football-this-weeks-transfers-1288569.html

|title=Football: This Week's Transfers

|work=The Independent

|date=13 December 1997}} however this didn't lead to a transfer.

==Mainz 05 (loan)==

In 1996, Lemsalu joined German 2. Bundesliga side Mainz 05 on a season-long loan for a fee of EEK 1 million.{{cite web | url =http://epl.delfi.ee/archive/marek-lemsalu-umber-poorlevad-miljonid?id=50731786| title =Marek Lemsalu ümber pöörlevad miljonid| publisher =Eesti Päevaleht|language =Estonian| date =15 October 1996| access-date =14 April 2017}}

=Strømsgodset=

In 1999, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian Tippeligaen side Strømsgodset.

=Tulevik=

In 2000, Lemsalu returned to Estonia and joined Tulevik.

=Start=

In 2001, Lemsalu signed for Norwegian 1. divisjon side Start. He helped Start to finish the 2001 season as runners-up and earn their promotion to the Tippeligaen.

=Bryne=

On 11 December 2002, Lemsalu signed a three-year contract with Norwegian Tippeligaen side Bryne.{{cite web|title=Marek Lemsalu ühines FK Brynega|url=http://soccernet.ee/artikkel/marek-lemsalu-uhines-fk-brynega|language=Estonian|date=11 December 2002|publisher=Soccernet.ee}}

=Levadia=

On 17 January 2006, Lemsalu returned to the Meistriliiga, joining Levadia.{{cite web|title=Ekskoondislane Marek Lemsalu ühineb FC Levadiaga|url=http://www.postimees.ee/1521941/ekskoondislane-marek-lemsalu-uhineb-fc-levadiaga|language=Estonian|date=17 January 2006|publisher=Postimees}} Levadia reached the first round in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup, but lost to Newcastle United 1–3 on aggregate. In 2006, Lemsalu succeeded Konstantin Vassiljev as team captain. He won the 2006 Meistriliiga title and was named Meistriliiga Player of the Year. He won two more successive Meistriliiga titles in 2007 and 2008. Lemsalu retired from professional football after the 2008 season, playing his last match on 15 November 2008 against TVMK.{{cite web | url = http://www.ohtuleht.ee/304578 | title = Lemsalu: sisetunne ütleb, et aeg sai ümber | language =Estonian| publisher =Õhtuleht|date =17 November 2008 |access-date = 31 May 2013 | first = Ott | last = Järvela}}

International career

Lemsalu made his international debut for the Estonia national team on 11 July 1992 in a 1–1 draw against Lithuania in the 1992 Baltic Cup. He was team captain in 1995 and 1996. He scored his first goal for Estonia on 22 June 1997 in a 4–1 home win against Andorra in a friendly. Lemsalu retired from international football on 28 March 2007, after a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Israel. He made a total of 86 appearances and scored 3 goals.{{NFT player|id=2247}}

Personal life

Lemsalu's daughter Liis Lemsalu is a singer and the winner of the fourth season of Eesti otsib superstaari (Estonian version of Idols).

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup

!colspan="2"|Europe

!colspan="2"|OtherIncludes the Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, Estonian Supercup, Baltic League and Livonia Cup

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="3"|Pärnu KEK1988rowspan="2"|2. liiga120colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—120
1989172colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—172
colspan="2"|Total

!29

2colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—292
Eesti Tööstus/Flora1989Kõrgliiga10colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—10
rowspan="3"|Sport Tallinn1989Soviet Second League40colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—40
1990Baltic League220colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—220
colspan="2"|Total

!26

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—260
rowspan="3"|Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK1990rowspan="2"|Kõrgliiga161colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—161
1991233colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—233
colspan="2"|Total

!39

4colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—394
rowspan="10"|Flora1992rowspan="9"|Meistriliiga81colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—81
1992–93185colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—185
1993–94151colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—151
1994–951931030233
1995–962432030293
1996–974120colspan="2"|—61
1997–9818120colspan="2"|—201
199850100060
19998210colspan="2"|—92
colspan="2"|Total

!119

17906013417
Mainz 05 (loan)1996–972. Bundesliga16000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—160
Kuressaare (loan)1998Esiliiga1000colspan="2"|—0010
Strømsgodset1999Tippeligaen8000colspan="2"|—0080
Tulevik2000Meistriliiga2061000216
Start20011. divisjon29230colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—322
rowspan="5"|Bryne2002rowspan="2"|Tippeligaen26431colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—295
200325130colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—281
2004rowspan="2"|1. divisjon30150colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—351
200529440colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—334
colspan="2"|Total

!110

10151colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—12511
rowspan="4"|Levadia2006rowspan="3"|Meistriliiga33560colspan="2"|—395
20073064070416
20082842071375
colspan="2"|Total

!91

1512014111116
colspan="3"|Career total

!489

5618122020154958

{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="14"|Estonia
199210
199360
1994120
199570
1996100
1997131
199850
1999100
200090
200130
200361
200421
200720
colspan="2"|Total

!86

!3

=International goals=

:Estonia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Lemsalu goal.{{cite web | url = http://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=12035 | title = Football PLAYER: Marek Lemsalu | publisher = eu-football.info | access-date = 4 July 2017}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope=col|No.

!scope=col data-sort-type=date|Date

!scope=col|Venue

!scope=col|Opponent

!scope=col|Score

!scope=col|Result

!scope=col|Competition

scope=row|1

|22 June 1997||Kuressaare Linnastaadion, Kuressaare, Estonia||{{fb|AND}}||2–0||4–1||Friendly

scope=row|2

|20 August 2003||A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia||{{fb|POL}}||1–2||1–2||Friendly

scope=row|3

|14 February 2004||Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta||{{fb|BLR}}||2–0||2–1||2004 Malta International Tournament

Honours

=Club=

;Pärnu Kalakombinaat/MEK

;Flora

;Levadia

=Individual=

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{EFA player|id=44}}
  • {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620235953/http://www.fclevadia.ee/dyna/site/952est.html |title=Levadia profile}} {{in lang|et}}

{{Navboxes colour

|title=Awards

|bg=gold

|fg=navy

|list1=

{{Estonian Footballer of the Year}}

{{Meistriliiga Player of the Year}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lemsalu, Marek}}

Category:1972 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Pärnu

Category:Soviet men's footballers

Category:Estonian men's footballers

Category:Estonia men's international footballers

Category:FC Flora players

Category:Meistriliiga players

Category:Esiliiga players

Category:1. FSV Mainz 05 players

Category:Viljandi JK Tulevik players

Category:FCI Levadia Tallinn players

Category:Strømsgodset Toppfotball players

Category:Bryne FK players

Category:IK Start players

Category:FC Kuressaare players

Category:2. Bundesliga players

Category:Estonian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany

Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in Germany

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway

Category:Estonian expatriate sportspeople in Norway

Category:Eliteserien players

Category:Norwegian First Division players

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:SK Tallinna Sport players